Category: Professional Development

“Stand before the people you fear and speak your mind–even if your voice shakes. When you least expect it, someone may actually listen to what you have to say. Well-aimed slingshots can topple giants.” —Maggie Kuhn

Your words hold power. They do. Think about how impactful words told to you as a child were. Consider the stinging insults from the playground bully. Or, the advice from the family member who made you feel invincible.

Words hold power. Your words hold power.

And yet, how often are we called to use our words before we feel ready? How often are we called to speak up when no one else seems to care? Our words still matter. They matter when we stutter. They matter when we overthink them before saying anything.

At times, unspoken words can have the greatest impact. They can do the most violence.

Your words matter.

You might be in a situation right now where you’re doubting yourself. Imposter syndrome has crept back in.

You’re being asked to present, teach, or proclaim, and you’re thinking: “They have the wrong person. I’m not ready for this. I’m not right for this.” Let me tell you something: you were called to the table for a reason. You are right for this. Someone saw brilliance, answers, and better questions in you.

It’s your time to say what needs to be said. Offer up your opinions. Challenge the status quo. Say what only you can say: your truth. Don’t settle.

I know, it’s scary to be impeccable with our words. It can be frightening to tell others what we’re really thinking. What if we give them something to use against us in the future?

What if?

What if you say something that could help shift someone else’s story? What if your words are the difference between joy and pain for the person you didn’t even know was listening? What if your words could liberate?

They can. They have. They will.

Speak up.

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Huge shoutout to the folks at WordPress.com for putting my stats together from the year. In short, A LOT of awesome folks (like you) took time to visit The SA Pro Next Doorand read my articles. I am overwhelmed with joy about this. I can’t wait to share more honest and vulnerable posts with you. Next steps: teaching others how to blog and publish online.

2016, hello from the other side…it’s gonna be one heck of a ride.

Here’s an excerpt:

A New York City subway train holds 1,200 people. This blog was viewed about 4,900 times in 2015. If it were a NYC subway train, it would take about 4 trips to carry that many people.

It was bad. I found myself looking at my laptop screen early one September morning. You could call it writers block, but I call it insincerity. All I wanted to do was write another popular article that’d get tons of views on LinkedIn. A little voice in my head told me that my fans expected this. Somewhere else on the internet (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter…) my other fans were overwhelmed with anticipation for my next upload of a motivational quote. I was sick. Instead of creating content for the sake of helping others, my relationship with social media had become an unhealthy addiction and habit.

Some of you know the feeling you get when your phone is about to die. Sure, there are those who have people depending on them, and can’t afford to miss an emergency phone call (children, sick relatives, etc.). But, there are those like me who need their phones on at all times so they don’t miss out on the next big thing. I found myself drowning in attempts to keep up with trending topics. I became the person that would walk into the conference room and ask, “Did you hear about this (insert celebrity or world news update here)?” Being a gatekeeper of breaking news was a badge I wore proudly, but what did it really count for? Did it actually help anyone to know that Taylor Swift was being sued for allegedly stealing someone else’s lyrics? Would I be able to connect better with my students because I’d practiced the whip nae nae dance? Yes and no. Social media engagement has its share of benefits. It is great for networking, information for idle banter, publishing honest and vulnerable posts like this, and it helps me to stay connected to the students I work with. But, too much of anything is a bad thing. We know this.

So, when I was staring at my laptop screen – disappointed and sulking – I knew something had to give. I was trying to force out words because I craved the gratification that came along with people reading my words and being touched by them. That’s not what matters. If I’m always looking for a trophy in my efforts to serve others, eventually I’ll end up isolated and unsatisfied. People will begin to see through my disingenuous efforts. I will do them a disservice. My fear of missing out will inevitably render me lying on the floor by the nearest outlet while my phone charges, and I feebly scroll up and down a trending topics page. I don’t want to be that person. I was that person. I still kind of am that person.

Being off social media for a month taught me a few things that I want to hold onto and share with you. If I can continue the good habits I picked up during my break, I think I’ll be better for it. Maybe you will too.

I got back to reading books – the ones with binding, a spine, and actual pages. I forgot how much fun it was to finish a novel and lose myself in another world for a few days. There’s something to say about going beyond a 140-character story, and immersing yourself in an author’s mind. During my hiatus, I read peer reviewed research findings in Higher Ed, learned more about Student Development Theory, and was completely frustrated after finishing The Girl on the Train (but you should read it because everyone else has and it’s like Gone Girl).

The people who are important to me mattered again. I spent more time with my wife, Tynesha, and found it easier to be present in conversations with anyone I was speaking to. I was less concerned about how many likes the photo I posted minutes ago was getting …because there was no post.

I learned that others are struggling too. I told someone that I was doing a social media cleanse and they replied: “Oh, I could never do that.” I assured them that I wasn’t giving up all my possessions and traveling the land for a few years. It was just a way to be less distracted and more present with the life in front of me. That didn’t click for them. They reiterated that they just couldn’t put down their phone. It was a sad moment for the both of us.

You’re going to miss out on something. Attempting to be informed about every single topic from who Blake Shelton is in love with to why Quentin Tarantino is under fire for attending an anti-police brutality protest is fun for a while. But, it’s not a sustainable practice and I don’t get paid for it. My actual job is to positively impact the lives of college students and support/challenge them as they develop into responsible adults. When you fear missing out, you end up missing out on yourself and the things that matter.

I don’t have any fans. I’m not a celebrity. I’m glad to know that a few people in the world enjoy reading my writing, but they don’t lose sleep when I fail to post something. Life goes on. Rather than cranking out content to remain relevant, this break has taught me the importance of one. If I can inspire and motivate one person to do better, my job is done. Sure, if only one person likes this article and three people view it, it will sting. You know what outweighs that sting? Knowing that I acted with good intentions to help make this world a little better. That’s got to count for something. I want it to count more as I grow and mature.

So that’s it. It was a break and not a break up. We needed space, but I’m slowly getting back to tweeting, liking, and posting. This time it feels better. I feel like I can be more of myself in this relationship. I don’t feel so used or so lost. I have more of an identity. I love you, social media, but if we’re going to be together, I need to be a healthy version of myself.

I have been a terrible example of humility in my public and private life. Much of what I’ve done has been to receive credit. It is scary as heck to admit that, especially since I’m so concerned about what others think about me. But, I want those who are influenced by me to know who I really am: flawed and human. I want anyone struggling with being humble to read this and realize that they are not alone. Kanye, if you’re reading this, hello.

I used to think that people who constantly preached about staying humble did it to be condescending or mystical. Whatever their motives were (probably to help me be a better person) I didn’t want to hear it. Anyone who knows me knows that I love being in the spotlight. It’s who I’ve always been. But, what happens when the spotlight goes to my head?

I have had seasoned folks say things about my millennial generation.They talk about how we are painfully entitled, but they complain about how we want recognition for building a webpage, getting 2,000 social media followers, or finishing the sandwich we ordered. There is some truth to that, but I’m hit hardest when they say: “It’s not all about you.” Great. Just great. What the heck does that mean? I rarely ask for an explanation. I just feel offended and want to walk away. But, I respect my elders, so I listen. They go on to tell me that other people need attention too, or that other issues are bigger than me. I begin to understand and I get over myself a bit more each time. Then they go on to tell me about how frustrated they are with my generation and all the selfies we take. The conversation becomes about social media and usually ends there. I get that. I could totally take less selfies and spend less time on social media, but humility goes deeper than that. It requires me to ask myself: how does focusing less on myself benefit others? I have spent hours helping any community I’ve lived in since I was a kid. We, the helpers, have dedicated much of our lives to help others. Why are we required to be humble if we are doing selfless work for others? Here’s the thing: anytime we want recognition for the things we have done, have our egos stroked, or receive validation from others, we are not being completely selfless. Okay, I’m getting a little too philosophical. Let me get to what I hope you take from all this.

The topic of humility has been on my mind for a long time. Recently, it occurred to me that there were aspects of humility I have not explored. I realized that it went beyond shying away when a person gives you praise. It is more noble than saying, “My team is who we should really thank for that.” I do better with lists, so…

Here Are ThreeThings I Now Understand About Humility

1. When people say: “It’s not all about you”, it is NOT a diss. It is time to stop feeling offended every time I hear this. This phrase is just a reminder that while I can receive recognition for each good deed I do, there are others doing good things at the same time. It all counts. I have yet to find anyone that likes the person on the team that seeks to absorb all the attention. It gets us off track and isolates said attention seeker. When one wins, we all do. It’s not all about you also means that you are not the only one suffering at any given moment. (Though your suffering shouldn’t be diminished and you deserve care and support). Someone is always going through a more devastating situation. When I can, I need to be mindful enough to shorten my sulking hour, and get back to supporting those who need me.

Next steps: Learn to be okay when others do not acknowledge the work you do, and take the initiative to collaborate and be of service to others. But do not neglect yourself. If you need help, ask for it. You can’t always help. Others can pitch in too.

2. Focus less on looking good and more on doing good for others. At one point, I sought advice from at least three people before I posted status update or Instagram photo. Okay, that is sad. While it is important to get approval on things, especially when we represent our organizations, companies, families, and selves at any moment, we can over do it. If your intentions are good and you are looking to improve the lives of others, take some of the focus off how polished you and your project will look, and put more effort into what you’re actually doing. The people you are serving are more concerned with what they’re receiving than you and your image. I recently started writing positive and uplifting letters to anyone who wants one at my institution. I put up a Google Form so people can request a kind note from me or someone on my letter writing team. One day I noticed that some of my teammates were signing each note: “from someone who cares.” I asked them why they didn’t write their name. I had been signing every letter with my first name so I could get credit for sending it. I sat with this for a few days, and realized that my ego had been getting the best of me in other areas of my life. I had such a thirst for validation that I was a loving and amazing person, that I made sure everyone knew all the cool things I was doing. I am enough without doing a thing. So, why do I try so hard?

Next steps: Get better at loving and taking care of you. Look at what you do and ask: “Am I pleased with this?” If the answer is no, switch it up, and figure out what you’d like to thank yourself for later. I’m terrible at this one. So if you are too, know you’re not alone. It feels good in the moments when I do well at loving me.

3. Invite others to join you without even trying. Whenever I try to prove myself to the world, I get ignored or make a fool of myself. It is usually when I have the courage to be vulnerable and honest with others, that people are drawn to me and what I’m doing. I end up not even noticing that people are drawn to my honesty, and I fully enjoy the conversations I have with others about how their experiences relate to my story. I’ve been trying to be a rockstar at life all this time, and all anyone wants to interact with is the real version of me. This might be true for you. I don’t know, I’m not a psychic. If it is you, I challenge you to stop trying so hard to be the Big Shot that has tons of fans. Recognition won’t keep you warm night after night. It is not your best friend. It’s a reminder of what someone thinks about you. Humility makes that recognition so much sweeter when it finally arrives, because you’ve been appreciating yourself all along, and putting your work out there with better intentions. People are either going to love you, hate you, dismiss you, or never hear about you. If we continue to base our self value on what others care about rather than commit ourselves to helping others, we are going to be miserable, alone, and the world won’t get the special flavor we bring to it. And, I know you bring something special to our world.

Next steps: Give humility a try. Be honest with others about who you are and what you bring. Put yourself out there a little – the real you – and see what happens. If people shoot you down, take time to heal, work on finding like minded people, and repeat.

Obligatory concluding sentence: there isn’t one. That would be people pleasing.

I have a confession to make: I have an incessant need for others to tell me that my life’s work has been worth something.

If you follow me on social media, you’ll see positive tweets and updates. I work in Higher Education because I want to motivate and inspire college students to live awesome lives. I randomly send motivational and inspiring postcards to friends, family, and acquaintances to brighten their day. So what’s the problem? What could I possibly have to gripe about if my intentions are good? For one, it’s been increasingly difficult for a realistic optimist like me in a world that appears to thrive on bad news, gossip, and scandal. I struggle to find my place. Some of this struggle is self-induced.

The Real Issue

I’ve been focused on the responses, likes, and favorites I don’t receive when I put something positive out into the universe. It sounds ridiculous when I write it down, but at the end of the day I want to know my work has added value to other’s lives. On bad days, I equate the number of people I’ve helped to my level of self-worth. I can put in a ton of effort and still feel defeated when:

a) A person denies my help

b) I receive negative criticism or cynicism about something positive I’ve said, written or done

c) Someone accepts the help, but continues to exhibit destructive habits and behaviors

Consequently, I tell myself that I should just stop helping people. Surely, I could be doing something else with my life where I could see instant results, make more money, gain worldwide notoriety, and feel like what I do means something. But now, I’m done being concerned with the what else. I don’t know what that other thing would be, and on my best days I know that chasing happiness and fame is a fruitless venture.I wouldn’t enjoy the acclaim because I’d never feel fulfilled. I won’t ever feel like what I do means something, unless I believe it in myself. It starts with me.

The Approach

I love working with others and seeing them actualize their goals. I silently celebrate when I see my students grow and become more self-aware. I’m just a small step on their long journey, but it means something even if they don’t tell me it does. It means something even when I don’t witness their development, and when I find out how I’ve touched their lives. Moving forward, I don’t need the satisfaction of knowing my work has done something monumental. I need to know where I can be helpful and who I can help.

We shouldn’t stop helping people. What we can do is rethink our approach. We can make sure we’re not letting doubt and irrational needs get in our way of doing good. If you’re out there doing good and with good intentions, stop explaining yourself. I’m tired of explaining why I help others, smile at people, or greet strangers when I walk in a room. Deep down, I know that I feel loved and welcomed when others do this for me. I don’t need to explain how any given action might go a long way. What I want to start saying is: “I don’t always know why I do it, but I know that I care. Try it for yourself. Help someone and don’t expect anything. Let your curiosity run wild and see where it gets you.” The other challenging task is telling myself that I don’t always need to justify my actions.

The Icing

Don’t think yourself out of doing good. For every hour I sit doubting that I’m making an impact, I could be spending time pouring into the lives of others. Doubt stalls us. The only feedback I want is if I’m doing more harm than good. Tell me if I’m accidentally teaching people to be dependent. Gently help me notice if I’m talking more than I’m listening. Other than that, no response is needed if someone’s life is improving. I appreciate a thank you or a kind follow up, but I’m working towards not craving the feedback. Validation and affirmation aren’t life support, they’re the icing on the cake.

I’m getting closer to fully accepting and being who I am: a person who enjoys being at your service. I’m betting you’re getting closer too.

This might seem like post about me, but I don’t think we’re all that different. I’m betting you’ll see yourself in at least one thing written below.

1. You don’t have the relationships you want with others. I’m so guilty of this one. I think it’s because I set high expectations for others. I want them to love me instantly and tell me all about their lives. I want them to be open, extroverted, forthcoming, interesting, patient, (geesh, the list is too long and too ridiculous to continue writing). This is unrealistic and relationship building takes time. It’s hard for me to accept this, but I’m working on it every darn day.

Note: Food is better when time and effort are put into it, and the fake stuff is left out of it. Relationships with friends, colleagues, students, and family aren’t any different. I might write this on the back of my hand just to remind myself.

2. You think you should be today, what you’re not even ready to be yet. I hate this one. I want it all now. I want the doctorate, the followers, the fans, the expensive clothes, the big paychecks, and the recognition in my field. But all any of that means is that I need to work on accepting who I am today, and realizing that I am enough. Fans, books, presentation/keynote invites don’t inform that – I do.

3. You produce content just to stay relevant and known. I’ve been scheduling out positive social media updates to inspire others. My intentions are good because I seek to positively inspire others. The other – more embarrassing – reason is because I think others will forget me if I don’t let them know I’m here …like every couple of hours. That’s ridiculous. You’re here, I’m here, and we’re all busy living. Take time for yourself and treat yourself. Remind yourself of what it all really means. Remind yourself that you mean something even if no one is calling you, texting you, or inviting you anywhere. They haven’t necessarily forgotten, and it’s not always because they don’t like you. They just have their own lives to live, journeys to experience, and challenges to face. Dig into that loneliness and figure out why it feels so bad. Yes, yes, I’m going to take my own advice. It’s a struggle.

4. You and your worrying are getting in your way. I’m afraid of being wrong and of being alone. 10 points for you if you’ve figured this out by now. I don’t want the pain, guilt, and shame that potentially come with letting others down or making a fool of myself. So, I overcompensate by being super duper on top of things at work, at home, and in my friend groups. It’s causing so much stress in my 27 year old body. Gah, the aches!!! On top of that, worrying is exhausting. I imagine all the brain power and happiness I’d have if I just worried for ONLY one hour a day (which my counselor recently suggested), and spent the rest of time floating from one thing to the next, with a bounce in my step and a smile on my face. Pain is going to come, but I don’t have to spend every moment anticipating it. Neither do you.

5. You don’t know what you really want from life. I want real friends, a happy and fulfilling marriage (as of 7-16-2015), a good savings account, and to have an impact on others. The problem is that I think my wants aren’t that great. So what if I don’t want what you want or what person x wants. So what if my wants aren’t noble, humble, good enough, or whatever. What happens when I embrace who I am (even the yucky stuff)? What do YOU really want from life? Does the answer bother you?

Take what you want, and throw away the rest. Share this with someone if you think they can use it.

I inherited a staff that didn’t trust me at all. My first day of work was their last day of RA training. They experienced a lot of turnover and at some point ended up with me. We had a really rough start. At some point, a staff member and I got into an argument at a staff meeting in front of everyone. No one ever volunteered to help me clean, put things away, or set things up. Things were toxic and I felt like I failed at creating a safe space. At some point we all knew something had to give.

Sinclair’s story isn’t uncommon. Most likely, you’ve been part of a malfunctioning team. Sometimes the tendency is to work against the group and isolate yourself. Another option is to retreat altogether. Is there value in going back to the drawing board and noticing where trust fell through? How much should you self-disclose your feelings on the team’s situation? We have the opportunity to be bold, and help our team repair by practicing vulnerability in supervision, but this is easier said than done. Fortunately, we have advice from authors and scholars like Simon Sinek and Brene Brown to help us strategically move toward unification and stronger relationships with our teams. Below are lessons and ideas inspired by readings, research, and hard won inspiration drawn from our professional experiences; both the successes and failures.

Simon Sinek writes about a Circle of Safety in his book “Leaders Eat Last.” Assess your staff and establish the members within said circle.

Safety looks different for different people, and what one person finds ‘easy’; someone else may be absolutely terrified of. Safety also doesn’t mean floodlighting or overwhelming team members with vulnerability and authenticity. Once, I made the mistake of being too open and trying to be everyone’s friend. There is no clear

direction in a spotlight being shone on me and my, well, everything; only a harsh light where no one can see clearly and most people turn away from. The Circle of Safety, by comparison, is well lit, but not blinding. The Circle of Safety creates an environment in which folks want to support each other rather than compete with them. This environment consists of staff members who don’t fear losing their jobs and aren’t always trying save face because they fear someone else cutting them down. We need to start here, in the circle, before we can create a true space of sharing and vulnerability. I want my staff to feel wanted and feel they work in my office because they have the skills and drive to. With this strong foundation of support, my staff feels a little safer because we’ve established a mutual trust and respect. Moving forward, it’s about taking steps toward more sharing, more transparency, and everyone being on board about what direction we want to take our circle in. At the end of the day, the circle is about being safer with a group of likeminded people rather than being afraid and alone on the outskirts, feeling like you can’t trust your co-workers. If we continue to establish that safety during every 1:1 and staff meeting, eventually we can talk about our sad days and bad days. But if we aren’t there yet, we shouldn’t suddenly and surprisingly create this circle because folks can get hurt. Moreover, we risk floodlighting our employees and giving them more information than they wanted in the first place. I work under the impression that most people want to be heard and have a wide range of emotions even if they say things like, “I’m just here to work.” But here, we get to go a little deeper and create the type of environment in which folks know they can share stories, be upset, and talk about what’s keeping them from completing a project. It doesn’t mean we need a support group type meeting every day and all day, but employees can know that this space is safe enough where if they talk others will listen and care about what they have to say.

Utilize the 1st and mid-year staff retreat to create safe spaces for sharing. Get away from busyness and allow time for vulnerable conversations.

Retreats are great opportunities to get away from the very context and location(s) that can often be creating many of the problems that plague an inauthentic, reactive workplace. One recurring challenge we might face, however, is we often take the new environment for granted and all our good work gets lost when we get back to ‘reality’. It’s important to set up check in days throughout the year and develop small, achievable projects to extend the developed feelings of trust and motivation. It’s important in this case to be very visible in demonstrating how those lessons and ideas are being reflected upon and implemented Employees need to see and feel a part of the process. It’s not enough for them to just be presented with the end result for feedback. At one institution, we realized that everyone was hungry for more professional development opportunities while at our summer retreat. Eventually, we began to have Monday morning leadership meetings twice a month. We met with a senior administrator at some meetings, and at another meeting we discuss a professional development book on leadership that was assigned to us. This gets tricky with job description and union defined roles and responsibilities, but sometimes it’s as simple or as complicated as getting feedback and asking for help along the way, building on and leveraging the employee’s strengths and skills that can complement your own for the greater success of the project or initiative.

Be a hi-touch supervisor. Have frequent and effective check-ins. Express your own struggles and solutions. Be open and visible.

Visibility is key. Share what you’re working on and how it fits with what you’re asking others to do (for you). Being open and visible, however, means walking the line between check-ins that are ‘high touch’ and feelings-focused without scaring someone off by being overly personal. Providing a space to be a human first and an employee second helps to ensure the “relationship” component of the supervisor relationship remains intact so good work can continue to be done.

Identify your team’s dysfunctions. Patrick Lencioni writes about how teams create their own roadblocks to trust in “The Five Dysfunctions of a Team” Name the roadblocks.

To remedy the toxic environment I had apparently walked into, I met with the staff I inherited individually and had them evaluate me. I wanted to discover trends and patterns. The trend was that I didn’t communicate well. They felt like they heard about things at the last minute. They also shared that they didn’t like my sarcasm and felt like I was trying to be their friend. What they wanted and needed was a supervisor whose main goal was to help them grow. While I think they were a bit too serious and pessimistic for my taste, they had a good point. I came in the door wanting everyone to like me and probably tried too hard.

It’s important to note that the roadblocks weren’t any individual person or collection of staff, but rather our fear-based approaches to the conflict. After these difficult yet ultimately insightful conversations, we went back to the drawing board. I started sending them updates about their areas and making the staff meeting agendas more comprehensive to make sure we covered everything they needed to know. I joked less and set expectations before each 1:1 meeting. I asked them what they wanted to get out meetings. I tapped into my strength of individualization to personalize each individual conversation. It worked. We didn’t look like a group of people who loved each other, nor did we necessarily need to be, but the environment was a lot less hostile. I think what these staff members needed most was to be heard and to see their own desires, goals, and ideas put into action. Of course, I had to be careful to still be the supervisor at the end of the day and not have it so that my staff felt entitled to run everything.

In his book, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen Covey says, “Seek first to understand, then to be understood.” Make a commitment to not only see, but to understand your employees. Acknowledge feelings rather than running from them. Talk less, listen better, and share more.

Those three words frustrate me. I don’t always believe in them. For some of us, the goal of perfection has been a burden for quite some time. Some of us jokingly say things like I’m just a perfectionist or I just like to do it right the first time.

Okay. I actually say those things all the time. But, when I fail, I kick myself and sulk. I restart the self-loathing process:

Step 1: Doubt my skills.

Step 2: Envy others who do what I do – seemingly better.

Step 3: Repeat.

Thanks to Twitter, I find myself scrolling through update after update from others who appear to be the champions and celebrities of Student Affairs. Heck, maybe some feel the same way when they peruse my statuses. My self-worth gets tied up into everything I haven’t done, and into every year of experience I don’t have in my field.

I end up not feeling like enough. As if there’s a course on adding more to my personality and my character. Honestly, I wouldn’t want to be someone else, but feeling like I don’t measure up is unsettling.

I tell all this to my support system. They remind me of my strengths, they challenge me to think about my accomplishments, and they push back on my negative thought patterns.

My hope is that each of us has had at least one moment when someone affirmed that what we do/who we are is a good fit for life, let alone our jobs. We haven’t all written an e-book, taught a course, researched/discovered a theory, or presented on a national scale. Do we have to?

When it comes down to it, it might be worth something to ask: “What do I actually want to do” rather than “What should I be doing because x. (x can equal: “it sounds good” ; “others have done it”; “it will get me to the next step”)” I say all this and yet I struggle with feeling like less on some days. It’s part negative thoughts, part my own lived history, and part misguided perspectives on what matters.

On good days, I know I am enough. I feel great doing what I do best: connecting, motivating, and inspiring others. There’s a pep in my step and tiny blue cartoon birds sit on my shoulder. I like the person I see in the mirror and I know I am enough. I’m not sure if it’s because I’m doing what I enjoy without comparing myself others, or if it’s because people-time gives me an endorphin rush, but I like myself in those moments.

I feel like enough when a student opens up to me and confides in me after being reserved for several months. It happens when a co-worker invites me over for dinner. I’m reassured I am enough when I am able to contribute in important meetings, help develop curriculum, successfully run a staff selection, or inspire someone to accept just a little bit about themselves because they listened to my story.

We have done more and are more than we’ll ever know. It’s the grandiose acts, the prolific writings, the innovative ideas generated, and the chart topping accomplishments. It’s the small things and it’s that which exist in the in-between that matters as well. We get to decide what and who defines us.

We get to live a better story for ourselves and others. And on the good days, because there are good days, we get to note that we are enough. Sometimes self-acceptance only exist in a few hiccups of hope at a time.

My hope is that we take hold to those moments, gather them, and tuck them away. Eventually, they will override all the lies we’ve been told about being less than. Sometimes, hiccups will have to do. I’m going to reflect more on being okay with the enough that I am.

What’s your story?

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